It’s Like This: Visions that Help and Hurt the Church

Churches rise and fall with vision. Every church has a vision for what it is, what it should be, and what it dreams of being, and there is always an image or metaphor that lies behind a church’s vision for itself. Some churches see themselves as country clubs, and others as battleships. Some are safe-havens for the already converted, and some are edgy alternative communities. The governing metaphor shapes all the expectations the church has for itself and the way it presents itself to the community. Through that defining vision, the church thrives or fails.It’s Like This explores some of the most popular, and sometimes destructive, visions that churches pursue. Pastor, seminary professor, and author Dr. James Miller reveals the images that churches use to describe themselves, describing the strengths and weaknesses of various visions of the church. Any faithful church member and budding church leader should be able to name the vision for the church that they believe to be most faithful to their calling, and every church ought to be clear about where they’re going.It’s Like This is a book that will strengthen the Christian community, empower leaders to cast vision, and rally faithful believers around God’s greatest hopes for the church.